So I got this given to me a few weeks ago I'm now on my 3rd batch.

The first starter batch I had one glass bread pan and one of them silicone things I put them on a pan and poured the rest of the sugar/cinn combo ended up with to much and it kept the bread from rising so it was flat really flat.

2nd starter batch I have 2 starters. I ended up buying the foil pans so I can have hubby take them to work without him breaking, loosing or forgetting my pans. I poured them into the pans and they did fine, kinda the one on the right side kinda tried flowing over the side a tad bit.
I then made the 2nd batch poured out 4 cups of batter was left with about 2 1/2 cups of batter left. This time I put pistashio pudding in this one instead of the white chocolate I had been using. I poured them into the 2 pans, just like I did the other ones and they flowed way over the pans and what was left would not rise.

Well onto batch #3 Back to white chocolate. Instead of taking the 2nd starter and making 4 bags cuz my friends don't want anymore and the rest of them don't bake at all. When I poured out 4 cups of batter I put 2 1/2 cups of batter into the bowl and made the mix, ended up making and pouring into 3 pans to try to make sure they didn't rise over the sides thinking it was just to much dough for the pans. These sat on the counter for about 20 minutes while the pistashio bread was finishing it's messy baking. So I put them into the oven and set my timer... with about 25 minutes left we had company show up and they smelled the bread I had been baking so came to the kitchen with hubby and they taste tested my bread said it was fab well I turned on the light to the oven peeked threw the window and the bread that was baking looked like just as it was rising in the middle fell into itself and never finished rising when it was done it had a bum line threw the middle of the bread... so question is what did I do wrong the last 2 times that I didn't the first time? Any ideas?

That friendship bread is basically a yeasted starter, but it doesn't always work. I'd just throw it out and make a real sourdough starter from the beginning.

my 4 cups that was left over was what should be put into bags (for 4 friends) But it's the same stuff that the bread is made from so I took out 2 1/2 cups and made another batch of bread. What was left over was 1 1/2 cups of starter so I took out 1 cup for next time. Then threw out the small 1/2 cup that was left over. This way I'm not stuck with 4 starters for next time.
Now I have made banana and zuc bread many times and find that when you grease all the way up the sides the bread has nothing to stick to to get a good rise on it, or you don't have a dome. Since this is not a quick bread should I treat it as one? It's the only thing we (neighbor and I) could think of.

costumeczar that would be an option (even though I also have a sourdough going for about a year now) but this is my hubbys favorite bread. He's got a sweet tooth a mile long and has to have this bread... I actually renamed it sugar loaf.

It IS really sweet...One of the teachers in my kids' school gave me some and I was kind of befuddled by it. It's like a starter, but the recipes you use it for are for quick breads. I didn't see a lot of difference between using it and just following a quick bread recipe...Maybe you could make some zucchini bread without it and see if your husband can tell the difference. That's what I'd do, but I'm sneaky that way

I looked it up on allrecipes.com and it said that you shouldn't use metal pans or utensils because it can react with the yeast and kill it. That might be what happened if you were using metal pans.

Here's another link (I hope it works for you.) http://www.armchair.com/recipe/bake002.html

Oh my gosh how did I not think of that? It says no metal I didn't use any for any of it but the only difference was using the alum pans. And believe me trying to "Whisk" in flour without using my whisk is a pain in the butt... looks like when taxes come next week I get to buy me 5 more glass bread pans... just to be sure don't ya know.

Thanks for the posting on this! I had a started going years ago, but we moved and alas, it didn't go with us. You have inspired me to get another one going! We loved it with cinnamon-sugar sprinkled on the top. Mmmnn...

Here is something I did that may or may not help with the whole metal issue. I used a wire whisk, but only to mix together my milk, sugar and flour. Once that was whisked, I then put my whisk to the side and added the wet mix to the starter and then switched to a rubber spatula. I figured this way I could still whisk my wet ingredients pretty well using the metal without it actually coming in contact with the starter. When I stirred it each day, I used a plastic spatula. Now when I baked it, I did use metal pans and never seemed to have a problem. Hmm... now to get my sugar, flour, milk out and get going on another starter!

You have made the starter before then? On my copy it says "only the amish know how to make the starter. If you loose it you will have to wait for someone to give you another." Michigan has a shit ton of Amish around here and from what we see they guard their knowledge pretty well.

Everyone here loves the slight crunch you get from the sugar/cinn on top. Best part of the bread. I would like to get my hands on another batch that is 5 days off from my other batch so I can bake once every 5 days instead.

Go to recipezaar.com They have a lot of starter recipes. If it's the one I'm thinking of that adds a box of pudding to it, it's really easy to start over again. Just go to zaar and I'm almost certain they will have it.

You can buy silicone whisks, too. Kitchenaid makes them, I think. You can get them at Walmart so they can't be too pricey.

OH Must have this As I have 2 pans that I can't use my metal one in so this tool would make my cooking much better.

Hugs,
Meta

Oh man, I LOVE "Friendship Bread" which is much more like cake than bread!

I received a jar of the starter along with the recipe years ago, and kept it going for a long time. I would also grease my loaf pans and then sugar them, which made that Friendship Bread even more yummy.

The starter is very easy...if I'm not mistaken, it was milk, flour, and sugar. You keep it at cool room temp in a plastic, glass, or ceramic crock (I used a Tupperware container) and stir it with a wooden spoon.

You can bake it in a metal pan, but don't whisk it (overkill!!) or stir it with anything metal - just use a good, old fashioned wooden spoon.

Edited to add: here is the link to the EXACT word-for-word recipe I got 10+ years ago. http://www.cookingcache.com/breads/amishfriendshipbread2.shtml?rdid=rc1

I think I vaguely remember that the metal spoons are a nono thing.

That stuff is soo good!

Cakepro, your link doesn't work for me. Anyone else have this problem.

I love friendship bread. My mom used to get starters from the neighbors.

Try this: www dot cookingcache dot com/breads/amishfriendshipbread2.shtml?rdid=rc1

I was given a starter last year and it said you couldn't use a metal bowl or metal whisk when you mixed the other ingredient to it. You however bake in metal pans. I always baked mine in cupcake pans or the disposale loaf pans. I never had any problems.

I baked mine in metal pans so maybe it is just the spoons/whisk.

I never used metal while stirring this up. I have a trusty wooden spoon think the thing is older then my 21 year old son. Gosh doesn't seem like my tools should be that old. And it makes a good swatter for when hubby trys to come into the kitchen and mess with my bread before it's cooled enough to cut. He gets a swat on the behind.

I get to make another batch in 8 more days so I'm going to try a couple different things. #1 make a batch in glass only #2 make a batch in alum pan #3 make a batch in glass and only grease and sugar half way up the sides #4 make a batch in alum pan and only grease and sugar half way up the sides.

My recipe uses plastic bags. It says to "mash the bag" every day on the 6th day feed it milk, flour and sugar then mash the bag everyday till day 10 when you make the bread/cake. It also says if you get air in the bag let it out. I also found a half a ton of different recipes you can make with your starter. Gonna try some of them. I also told my sister to try to get me a starter that is 5 days off from mine so I can bake every 5 days instead of 10.

The link works today. The server must've been down or busy when I tried. Thanks!

Metabea - I have made this starter before. I think it takes a little while to develop its character, so I'd rather get one that is passed on to me vice starting one myself, but in a bind, I have had to. I am attaching the recipe I have for the starter, the bread itself and the instructions.

As for this being "authentic Amish", I really don't know, but we have been very happy with it. In the recipe you will see "Optional ingredients" (different flavors, etc), but I never tried those. We were happy with it as it was.

I didn't know if this would be something of interest, but I thought I would throw it out there. I got the recipe from a newspaper article ages and ages ago.

TracyLH this sounds like the same one that I use. I feed it on the 6th day the 1 cup each flour, sugar and milk and on the 10th day I make the bread... Thanks so much for posting this I might just have to make one so I can have one on the odd week I don't bake the original.